Area groups to serve up holiday dinners

Charities, churches, community group offer services

Thanksgiving-style meals will be offered this week by a number of area charities, churches, and community groups.

THE BLADE/KATIE RAUSCH

Thanksgiving-style meals will be offered this week by a number of area charities, churches, and community groups.

A number of area charities, churches, and community groups offer Thanksgiving-style meals this week. They include meals for people without financial resources to prepare their own feast and also meals for those who just want to gather as a community to celebrate the joy of the holiday.

“We do serve the poor and the needy. But we like these to be community meals [as well],” said Sally Oberski, spokesman for the Catholic Diocese of Toledo, referring to the meals served at many Catholic churches such as Christ the King and St. Joan of Arc. “There’s a lot of people who are alone on Thanksgiving.”

With a still-struggling economy, the need is great. Cherry Street Mission Ministries alone anticipates serving more than 5,000 meals on Thanksgiving, counting the 600 meals it will home-deliver, the 700 food boxes it will distribute, and the many meals it will serve to its mission guests, said spokesman Ashley Shaffer.

Harvey Savage, executive director of the Martin Luther King Kitchen for the Poor, said, “Thanksgiving is a wonderful time. People have a tendency to be very generous.”

He estimated his operation will serve about 225 Thanksgiving lunches of turkey, ham, cranberry sauce, and other trimmings on Wednesday. “But January and February are coming. We will still need people’s generosity then,” he said.

The list includes meals at the following days, locations, and times:

In Toledo:

Tuesday:

● Helping Hands of St. Louis, 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., 443 Sixth St. This organization is still seeking food donations, in particular turkeys and hams. For information, call 419-691-0613.

Wednesday:

● Martin Luther King Kitchen for the Poor, noon to 1:30 p.m., 650 Vance St. For information, call 419-241-2596. (Closed Thursday and Friday.)

● Woodmore High School cafeteria, 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., 633 Fremont St., Elmore. For more information, call 419-862-3481. Those who are able are asked to bring a canned good for a food pantry or a new, unwrapped toy to support Toys for Tots.